Being an average racer – worth it?

I wonder how others cope. 3 months of slow/appropriate weight loss to a target w/KG and diet discipline, 3 months of no booze, 3 months of turbo training only to come 33rd in a Regional A XCO race.

Because I’m at the end of that 3 months, all I want to do is pig out on a massive <insert junk food here> until I can’t eat anymore. This weeks training has suffered as I’m just fatigued/overreached a bit after a couple of hard weeks plus the above race I thinks, and can’t meet the demands of my program.

I can see why the pro’s do it, its just as hard for them I guess but at average level is it worth the effort?

Discuss…

Enter an enduro, they have age cats* 😀

I’m currently in a 5 year training program to be awesome in the vets

Its meant to be fun. If you dont enjoy it, stop doing it!

* edit im talking about enduro & DH, then only type of races I enter.

I’ve never seen the point.

Some folk have the desire to race, some don’t. In all the “sportives are not races” threads over the years I’ve yet to understand many of the comments from those that “race”. Most of them are only making up the numbers and are unlikely to be winning anything, and even then it’s only against folk at roughly the same competency as themselves. If you’re that good you go up a category, up again, up again until you’re at Worlds level.

Otherwise, it’s just for fun.

I’m a terrible racer – bottom 30% on average though i’ve almost reached mid-table mediocrity. Regardless of results I have great fun, made lots of friends and rode lots of trails I wouldn’t have found otherwise.

I’m fit and strong but I’m still too cautious on the bike which is my limiting factor!

I think it’s worth it (albeit for my mediocre running rather than cycling efforts :D) but different strokes etc…

Yes.

Since I ended up in elite I’ve not really been so fussed about the result and focus on enjoying the race and the weekend away with mates. The actual race is often the least fun bit of the weekend!

GB

I enjoying racing to beat myself. Whether it’s running or riding, I’m happy in a race if I do better than a did out last time. That’s my motivation as I’m never going to trouble the sharp end.

If its not fun, you’re doing it wrong is my take on it. Last year, putting too big an emphasis on training and racing sometimes made me forget what got me into riding in the first place.

I’m a very average racer. Could I improve 10 or 15 places with a structured training programme? Maybe. Will I have more fun if I do? Nah.

BoardinBob – Member

I’m a terrible racer – bottom 30% on average though i’ve almost reached mid-table mediocrity. Regardless of results I have great fun, made lots of friends and rode lots of trails I wouldn’t have found otherwise.

^^ same for me. I like the atmosphere at events and races too.

If you arent enjoying it then I wouldnt bother. Riding a bike is meant to be fun, why do something that you don’t enjoy.

Or perhaps just not be so hung up on results? It’s only a number.

Ive slowly got better over the last couple of years, but still pretty crap

dont really train as such (between young family and work not much time for it)

I enjoy the social side of I as much as anything else and competing with mates rather than the top 10 finishers!, only race enduros and the odd DH tho!

I can understand why you’re feeling a bit put off after Sunday’s sh*itfest. But think forward a couple of months when it’s a lovely sunny day, with a race on brilliant trails and a piss about with mates afterwards.
I either find the actual race the best bit or the worst bit, depending on how I do.

Road or mtb?

Road racing is a team sport. I know 4th Cat racing doesn’t seem like that sometimes and can be very negative. But it gets MUCH better in Vets racing.

Set appropriate goals and be realistic. I finished last in the bunch in last Saturday’s Surrey League 2/3 race. But I spent enough time blocking on the front to help keep a team mate in a breakaway, then secure a second escapee near the end for his 10th place. It’s all relative.

If you don’t enjoy it, don’t do it.

I don’t know if anyone has ever mentioned it but you worry too much 😉 think of it this way… Even if you were racing wc’s and winning National races on the MTB then the odds are you’d still have to hold down a full time job and be pretty amateur in the grand scheme of things (even more so in the UK!). It doesn’t matter which end of the field you are 99.9% are doing it for the love so make sure you enjoy it

Time to open up a big can of MTFU I’m afraid 😉
I’m in pretty much the same boat as you tbh – I started out awful 3 seasons ago, and now I’m distinctly average! But I’ll keep pushing and trying to improve for as long as I can. I fully intend to still be racing in Super Vets if I’m still in one piece! What are the alternatives? Being less fit and fatter? Not exactly a selling point…

Go for a ride with some non-racers and make yourself feel like a riding god, that should do the trick 😉

scaled – Member
Enter an enduro, they have age cats*

I’m currently in a 5 year training program to be awesome in the vets

XC has age cats too – Vets is generally a lot tougher/faster/more competitive than Sport!

If you’re that tired this week I would think you weren’t properly rested for the race.

Maybe you are trying to do too much. You might race just as well on much less training.

Regarding racing and whether its worth it if you aren’t winning, that depends on whether you enjoy the actual races or get more satisfaction from the results.

It’ all good, as long as you don’t come last. 😆

I’ve run out of age cats now so I don’t bother any more racing against a young 50 year old 9 years younger than you is no fun at all.

Hmm.

I did a bit of proper, structured training a few years back, I got up to about 20% faster than my normal on a local loop, which I was dead pleased with, but that only translated to about five places in the next local race. I just about squeaked into the top ten in a field of not quite thirty riders. I didn’t mind that much, I wasn’t expecting to get on the podium or anything, but when I weighed up all the sacrifices against the gains I decided I couldn’t be bothered with it and went back to just riding for fun. I enter the occasional Enduro™ (*waves at Scaled*), get my arse handed to me (bottom 1/3 of the field at best) and have a nice day out with mates chucking myself at stuff as fast as I can without worrying about running over newbies/kids/dogs/baby robins. I’m happier without the training at the moment.

But it sounds to me like you’re actually pretty focussed and dedicated, and it’d be a shame to waste all the effort you’ve put in just off the back of one unsatisfying result. There’s more to racing than just fitness, you might be suited to different course types, or be lacking racecraft, or maybe you just had an off day. I’d definitely stick with it and do some more races before binning it as a bad job.

Maybe allow yourself a day or two off though, after a race, perhaps have a beer or a bit of cake or something? 😉

If you arent enjoying it then I wouldnt bother. Riding a bike is meant to be fun, why do something that you don’t enjoy.

I do enjoy it. I like having a reason to keep fit & slim, and in an evil way perhaps is good to outperform lesser mortals as a measure of my fitness.

Its really just the net effect of this week that has me in the dodrums.

I’m in pretty much the same boat as you tbh – I started out awful 3 seasons ago, and now I’m distinctly average! But I’ll keep pushing and trying to improve for as long as I can. I fully intend to still be racing in Super Vets if I’m still in one piece! What are the alternatives? Being less fit and fatter? Not exactly a selling point…

This is me, glad to know its not just me – the reassurance helps.

I don’t know if anyone has ever mentioned it but you worry too much

Yup – part of the issue is that I have my first ever TT tomorrow ( a two-up) and although I’m going for the experience more than anything, I feel as of last nights failure to finish some training I’m not in a good place to work hard for my partner.

I can understand why you’re feeling a bit put off after Sunday’s sh*itfest. But think forward a couple of months when it’s a lovely sunny day, with a race on brilliant trails and a piss about with mates afterwards.

A good reminder thanks. And in actually fact if you wind back 12 months I finished 5 places up on the same event as last year.

I am a “confidence” rider, so thats a reflection on BoardinBobs post as well – I’ll do better when the ground firms up than I will in last weeks slide/clag fest.

binning it

I’m not going to do that, but I think the first thing to do is have an easy week after tomorrows TT before Battle on the Beach.

I definately had overreaching symptoms – lack of sustainable power yet burning legs, limited max HR, lack of focus, couldnt stay in the TT position for more than a minutes (I’ve done up to 40 mins before).

3 months of turbo training and no booze? Stuff that.
Racing at any level below where you’re getting paid for it is about realising you’re crap and accepting the results as they come. Even more so after the age of 25 where any chance you had to get paid for it has disappeared.

Either your target W/Kg wasn’t sufficient to get you where you thought it would, or concentrating on that meant you neglected something else (like being able to race), or you had a bad day. Possibly all three.
Accept it and move on, if you can’t enjoy racing and the process building up to it then change something.

If its not fun, you’re doing it wrong is my take on it

Spot on. Also consider the diminishing returns in terms of sacrifices made for results. Certain types of training are not fun, nor is sticking to a diet.

For about ten years I dabbled in all sorts of bike racing, purely for LOLz with no targeted training, just turn up and see how it goes. Last couple of years I’ve taken things more seriously, particularly cyclocross. Proper training programme for the first time, watch my diet (I’m lucky in I don’t seem to have too much of a problem with this; eat fairly healthy out of habit and drink very little booze), etc. I’ve been achieving my (modest) goals, but have no great desire to work any harder at it or make any more sacrifices for the chance of slightly better results in what are still only local races, or the chance to go to a round of the National Trophy and maybe just about get round without being withdrawn for being too slow.

My point is, if you like racing, just rock up and do it without worrying about the other bits. You don’t have to take it seriously. Think about the sacrifices you are making and whether they are worthwhile; maybe just stick to the bits that are easily achieveable or more fun.

I’m doing an E123 road race this weekend, that’ll be a good reminder that I’m well down the pecking order!

EDIT: LS (a better bike racer than I ever will be) sums it up better and in fewer words…

Kryton, as you’re well aware, I’m in a pretty similar position to you.

There are days and even weeks where I wonder if its all really worth it. Sundays MSG race had the potential to be one of those days. I arrived and rode 1 mile of the practice lap at 0930 before turning around, loading the van back up and going to Hadleigh instead

I’m glad I did as I had great fun on the bike and regained some love, enthusiasm and confidence rather than making it all even worse riding a race like that!

Get out on the bike and have some fun…go to a decent trail centre and rediscover why you do it…It never ever fails to work for me!!

no booze? Stuff that.

+1 you are a amateur it is supposed to be fun, anyway I’ve been out drinking with plenty of Elite riders although they tend to avoid it in the run up to major races. Also remember it takes a while to get back into racing after a winter, as it is hard to replicate a race in training, however, after a few weeks you’ll be more on top of your game.

I like races for the vibe and ability to push harder than you can normally. Also ripping apart a bunch on a road climb is the best feeling* in the world.

* well it is is pretty good anyway.

I know exactly how you feel. I posted a similar thread a while ago. Though you sound more dedicated than me, a bit of booze won’t do any harm realistically. I’ve worked pretty hard since January to get ready for the first race on Sunday, got ill in the middle of last week, lost all motivation, and have spent ten last 10 days consuming my body weight in homemade shortcake and obsessing about tyre choice which is irrelevant when I!m tired out after a 15 minute stroll.

But it is worth it, I have a feeling iyou’re like me with a very catholic guilt approach to sports so you’ll feel worse for neglecting it. My aim for this season is simply to be in the top half rather than bottom half of the pack, fingers crossed. I’d rather put the work in and be mid field than come last! So long as you enjoy the training keep at it, plus dare I say it, the fitter you are the funner the uphill becomes 😆

Kryton, as you’re well aware, I’m in a pretty similar position to you.

Well, except you finish top ten or thereabouts, I’d be happier with that!

I arrived and rode 1 mile of the practice lap at 0930 before turning around, loading the van back up and going to Hadleigh instead

Ah, I wondered why you didn’t appear when your name was called!

I have a feeling iyou’re like me with a very catholic guilt approach to sports so you’ll feel worse for neglecting it.

Yes I do. Going over MFP’s cals per day, not finishing last nights turbo session, being tempted by a Waitrose cinnamon hot cross bun… 😐

I have raced for about 10 years locally and regionally, and top half of the field would be a good result for me, but after a few races you get to find the people who are about your ability and then it became as much about beating them as the overall result, I have had great fun racing for a place in the bottom half of the field, where I have been up against someone of similar fitness level and/or skill level, and the best thing is we still sprint for the line, and then have a great chat afterwards about the race etc

Ah, I wondered why you didn’t appear when your name was called!

OOO interesting….do you remember whereabouts I was gridded?

OP – how does your family perceive it? Lots of training takes time from elsewhere….when you way everything up (enjoyment espect, health, family, your emotional state from the training etc) it must end up in a positive..otherwise it’s not worth it…life should be fun!!

only to come 33rd in a Regional A XCO race.

33rd out of how many?

being tempted by a Waitrose cinnamon hot cross bun…

Jesus H Christ, just eat the bloody thing. It’s not going to make the difference between where you are now and the podium. And even if it did you’d be on the podium in a low-level race in a country with a low level of participation. Who gives a monkeys?

where I have been up against someone of similar fitness level and/or skill level, and the best thing is we still sprint for the line, and then have a great chat afterwards about the race etc

this.

I’m not going to worry any xc podiums, so having some fun and giving it all against similar folk motivates me. Maybe once my kids are older and I can generate more time, I might train to a structured plan, but right now my rides are so sporadic I’m shocked that I can even get to a start line.

Still, racing motivates to ride early in the morning and in bad weather. If I didn’t do that I suspect I would go for weeks without riding.

being tempted by a Waitrose cinnamon hot cross bun

I’ll have it if you don’t want it

What Adam said ^^

And what lots of others said too – if you don’t actually like it, you don’t have to do it.

I love racing, whether it’s on the road, TTing, on the track, XC or best of all, cyclocross. I’m a vet and find that in most disciplines, vet races are the most competitive, probably because – like me – most of the other vet racers don’t have time to be racing as much as they’d like to so try and make it count when they do!

I do alright – I’m usually top 20 at least in most races and series, and I can do a low 21 min 10 TT – but I basically don’t train at all. I’m on my bike most days, riding to and from work, and ride fast when I am, but anything over 20 miles is a rarity. I’ve got active kids, a busy home life and a fair bit of my spare time is taken up with coaching. I see friends with fewer commitments, power meters, training plans, performance coaches, flash equipment etc and often think I should make more of an effort to consciously train at least, watch what I eat etc, plan training around target events etc, but I really can’t be arsed.

I eat well (vegetarian, everything at home is made from scratch), don’t drink much alcohol and enjoy other exercise away from the bike, but the idea of doing much more than I do – something like the OP describes – sounds miserable to me and I think it’d all be less fun if I did.

Sometimes I’ll get found out (road races in particular tend to be either fine or disastrous :-)) sometimes I’ll be frustrated thinking I could have done better, but its rare I don’t feel like I’ve had a good time or that it was worth it by the time I’ve washed the bike and sat down reflecting on the race. I might never win a race, but that’s alright – plenty battles going on within the race and within myself to provide the sense of achievement. I just like getting out of breath outside, at the end of the day.

Been racing on and off since my 20s – 30 years later I still race occasionally but more to enjoy myself rather than placings / kudos whereas for others it is simply about the results. It’s really about getting the right balance between work/home/bike and managing your expectations. If you are disciplined and prepared to stick to structured, high-quality training then you can get good results but don’t expect it to be easy. You also need to be motivated to win – you might be physically capable, but also need to be mentally prepared. Me, I simply enjoy riding my bike and challenging myself – my last race was 38.5 hrs and more than half didn’t finish….one or two of those a year are far more memorable for me than tear-arsing around a circuit for a few hours.

I am quite competitive and always have been, I’ve got a decent bike and try to train as much as I can but nearly approaching 50 now I can’t wait to get into the Grand Vets cat! but theres are some seriously quick riders out there in that cat.

But I’ve found the harder I train the more prone I am to getting injured or getting the large.

But its the law of the sods as when I did last years Ard Rock I had a huge off on S5 and damaged the bike/plus face and lost about 10 minutes on that

Lets hope I don’t do the same this year ! 😐

Its a race, so unless you win the race basically all your efforts have been wasted.

So, given its unlikely for any of us to win a race, I just enter them to enjoy the mid field battles. Shortly after they start you end up with others who are similar to you and you can then enjoy it.

That way you can train or not train to whatever level you like.

Once I entered a serious XC race and was so far behind I actually stopped after a lap just so the field could lap me. Then joined in again in the thick of it.

Alternatively you could start cheating in an attempt to win.

Some good reminders / truths here thankyou. Gaz, no I don’t sorry, I was too busy clearing enough mud off my bike from the practise lap to get a half decent start.

The family – not really affected. I’ve always done so,e kind of ride so a Sunday morning away isn’t unusual, turbo sessions or rides are either early am, after this kids are in bed, or at lunchtime as I WFH.

The hot cross bun – I’m not a powerful rider so the weight part of w/kg is quite important to me, plus I can gain serious weight at the bat of an eyelid so I do need to take care.

Boards bob – 48 on this occasion, usually about 60 in that race. The conditions put a lot off – see Gaz post – I was on the wrong bike for mud clearance reasons. In context I was 13 of 35 at Hadleih the week before on a dry albeit Hilly course which doesn’t suit me – I’m better in the flat.

I do enjoy it. I like having a reason to keep fit & slim, and in an evil way perhaps is good to outperform lesser mortals as a measure of my fitness

Really?? Because the amount of whinging you do on here about it would make it seem like someone is forcing you to do it…Otherwise, pucker up buttercup!

Some people seem to respond better to training than others, like some people respond better to doping than others!

I noticed one of your posts the other day said you’d just bought a power meter. Did you have one before? You need to have a decent amount of time on said power meter before you’ll start noticing the benefits/understanding what its telling you. Also – do you have a coach? Its all well and good spending up on a PM and such, but if you don’t know what you’re doing with it regarding structured training then you may as well not bother. When I started taking XC more seriously I didn’t have a power meter at the time but found having a coach made a lot of difference.

Turbo training is good if its structured in its approach. Not just doing a session because you like the look of it or because its more interesting than a recovery session. I know you’re not daft and understand you’re very focused but without someone giving your plan the once over and understanding (from various tests) what you’re capable of and how you react to certain training loads, you could be training yourself into a fatigued hole.

Boards bob – 48 on this occasion, usually about 60 in that race. The conditions put a lot off – see Gaz post – I was on the wrong bike for mud clearance reasons. In context I was 13 of 35 at Hadleih the week before on a dry albeit Hilly course which doesn’t suit me – I’m better in the flat

So there you go….forget the MSG race, scrub it off. Its obviously just one of those races. I suspect the conditions played with your head so ignore it and get ready for the next one

I tend to think of myself as above average, i get quite a few podiums on regional DH stuff and if I stay on my bike, I’m usually around the top 10% in enduro’s.

But I’m not kidding myself, the quick guys can tear me a new one still. I’d like to do better, but the reality is work & life mean I don’t train that much (maybe 2/3 sessions a week for an hour a time) and a decent ride at the weekend & that’s about all I can manage.

Reading that, it’s just excuses, if I really wanted it I could double my efforts, do the whole diet thing, etc but I’m just not that fussed. I enjoy riding, I enjoy racing and going away with friends, all the banter & our own little battles etc.

If I pushed myself, sure no doubt I would do better, but would I still enjoy it? I’m happy with where I’m at (that said, a bad result does annoy me & refocus my training to try and not let it happen again).

Worth it for me I think!